Guinness Opening Its First U.S. Brewery In 60 Years

The Guinness brewery in Ireland is a popular tourist destination for American fans of the dark brew, as it’s been 63 years since Guinness made any beer stateside. That will soon change.

Diageo — parent company to Guinness, Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff, and many other brands — announced today that it will open a new version of the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Relay, MD.

The company will brew new Guinness beers created especially for the U.S. market, while Guinness Stouts will continue to be brewed in Dublin, Diageo says. It will also include a visitor’s center, which will run tours and host beer tastings.

The plans have yet to be finalized, but Diageo hopes to start construction this spring and open in fall 2017 timed to the 200th anniversary of Guinness imports to the U.S.

According to the company, the new facility will bring 40 jobs in brewing, warehousing, and an agile packaging operation, which may include canning, bottling and kegging. The new Guinness visitor experience will also create about 30 jobs, Diageo says.

In other Guinness-related news, the St. James’ Gate brewery has plans to develop a whiskey distillery on the site, after 258 years of solely brewing beer. The new brand made there will be called Roe & Co, Diageo says.